An injector includes a surface and an injector hole formed in the surface. The injector also includes a groove formed in the surface, the groove surrounding the injector hole.
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7. A fuel injector comprising:
a first surface;
a groove formed in the first surface, the groove comprising a second surface, the groove receiving an air flow; and
an injector hole materially and integrally formed in the groove through the second surface of the groove, wherein the injector hole forms a fuel flow that exits the injector hole to intersect with the air flow at an angle in the groove.
1. An injector comprising:
a first surface;
a groove formed in the first surface, the groove comprising a second surface, the groove receiving a first flow being substantially air; and
an injector hole materially and integrally formed in the groove through the second surface of the groove, wherein the injector hole forms a second flow that enters directly into the groove to intersect with the first flow with the first flow, the second flow being substantially fuel.
12. A fuel injector comprising:
a body having a first surface;
a groove formed in the first surface, the groove comprising a second surface, the groove receiving a first flow being substantially air; and
a fuel injector hole formed at least through a portion of a thickness of the body, the fuel injector materially and integrally formed in the groove through the second surface of the groove, wherein the injector hole forms a second flow that enters directly into the groove to intersect with the first flow, the second flow being substantially fuel.
5. The injector of
15. The fuel injector of
16. The fuel injector of
17. The injector of
18. The injector of
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The subject matter disclosed herein relates to gas turbines and, in particular, to fuel injection for gas turbine combustors.
In a typical combustor for a gas turbine, fuel is introduced by cross flow injection with respect to an input air stream. A relatively small reduction in the magnitude and/or severity of the issues associated with cross flow injection can be achieved by varying the angle of the fuel jet, and/or by using non-conventional designs for the fuel discharge holes. Nevertheless, a fuel jet in cross flow creates a recirculation zone or bubble located behind the fuel jet. The size of this recirculation bubble depends on many factors, including jet diameter and momentum ratio between the jet and mainstream flow. The recirculation bubble normally increases in size with the diameter and momentum of the fuel jet. When a fuel jet is introduced in cross flow, fuel may become entrained behind the fuel jet, leading to a flammable mixture in the recirculation zone or bubble behind the jet. Flame holding can occur in this region, leading to hardware damage. Also, a boundary layer disruption by the fuel jet can lead to flow separation on the nozzle center body, on the vane, and in the diffusers. A propensity to a fuel rich boundary layer, which leads to flame holding or flashback, also exists.
According to one aspect of the invention, an injector includes a surface and an injector hole formed in the surface. The injector also includes a groove formed in the surface, the groove surrounding the injector hole.
According to another aspect of the invention, a fuel injector includes a surface that bounds a flow path of a fluid, and a fuel injector hole formed in the surface. The fuel injector also includes a groove formed in the surface, the groove surrounding the fuel injector hole.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, a fuel injector includes a body having a surface, a fuel injector hole formed at least through a portion of a thickness of the body. The fuel injector also includes a groove formed in the surface, the groove surrounding the fuel injector hole.
These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.
The subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
The detailed description explains embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings.
Various embodiments of the present invention control the development of a fuel jet in cross flow with an input air stream and can be applied in many types of fuel nozzles, regardless of the location of the fuel injection holes described hereinafter. In
The swozzle assembly 100 includes an inner center body or hub 104 and an outer shroud 108, with the hub 104 and shroud 108 connected by a series of airfoil shaped turning vanes or airfoils 112, which impart swirl to the combustion air passing through the swozzle assembly 100. Each turning vane 112 contains both a primary fuel supply passage as is known in the art and a secondary fuel supply passage, both passages typically formed through the core of the airfoil or vane 112. The fuel passages distribute fuel to a series of primary gas fuel injection holes 116 and a series of secondary gas fuel injection holes 120, which penetrate the wall of the airfoil or vane 112 and provide fuel outward in cross flow with the downward flowing combustion air. These fuel injection holes 116, 120 may be located on the pressure side, the suction side, or both sides of the turning vanes 112. Fuel enters the swozzle assembly 100 through inlet ports and annular passages as is known in the art, which feed the primary and secondary turning vane passages 116, 120, respectively. The fuel begins mixing with combustion air in the swozzle assembly 100, and fuel/air mixing is completed in the annular passage (not shown), which is formed by a swozzle hub extension and a swozzle shroud extension as is known in the art. After exiting the annular passage, the fuel/air mixture enters the combustor reaction zone where combustion takes place.
If the swozzle assembly 100 injects fuel through the holes 116, 120 in the pressure side of the aerodynamic turning vanes 112, the disturbance to the airflow field is reduced. However, a small recirculation bubble downstream of the fuel jet can still exist. In addition, a fuel rich boundary layer that can promote flashback may develop. The same disadvantages apply if some of the fuel injection holes 116, 120 are located on the suction side of the vanes 112. In addition, the recirculation bubble can increase in size at the same overall flow conditions and flow separation can be induced by the fuel jet.
In
In
In an embodiment, the bottom of the groove 140 (as viewed in
In an alternative embodiment, fuel may be introduced into the hub 104 (
The groove 140 can be formed in the protrusion 136 as shown in
In
An issue with this prior art peg design is that the fuel jet in cross flow creates a recirculation zone or bubble located behind the fuel jet. As previously mentioned, the size of this recirculation bubble depends on many factors, including jet diameter and momentum ratio between the jet and mainstream flow. The recirculation bubble normally increases in size with the diameter and momentum of the fuel jet. When a fuel jet is introduced in cross flow, fuel may become entrained behind the fuel jet, leading to a flammable mixture in the recirculation zone or bubble behind the jet. Flame holding can occur in this region, leading to damage of, e.g., the premixer.
In
While embodiments of the invention have been described in reference to the outer surface 132 of a hub 104, it should be appreciated that various embodiments of the invention may be employed into any other surface that bounds the flow path and can be used for fuel injection (for example, shrouds or even the turning vanes).
Embodiments of the present invention control the development of a jet in cross flow and can be applied in all fuel nozzles, regardless of the location of the fuel injection holes. In addition, embodiments of the invention provide for fuel injection that improves the performance characteristics associated with such fuel injection (for example, fuel jet penetration and fuel/air mixing characteristics). Also provided is a robust mechanism to control and assist fuel jet development in cross flow. At the same time the main disadvantages associated with cross-flow injection are eliminated, for example, a recirculation bubble located behind the jet, which when a fuel jet is introduced in cross flow, fuel gets entrained behind the fuel jet leading to a flammable mixture in the recirculation bubble behind the jet and destructive flame holding can occur in this region. Embodiments of the invention do not allow the recirculation bubble to form or control the volume and/or the fuel-to-air ratio inside the recirculation bubble.
While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
Bathina, Mahesh, Singh, Ramanand, Dinu, Constantin
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Feb 11 2009 | SINGH, RAMANAND | General Electric Company | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 022247 | /0005 | |
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